A visit to Pine Lake in extreme southeastern Mahoning County today, Sunday, about 12:45PM, was rewarding. 168 Common Mergansers upstaged a juvenile Red-necked Grebe. The juvenile grebe had a different look to it, still showing a striped face. This is at least the third year with a group of Common Mergansers appearing to want to spend the winter at this location. They can be viewed with a scope from the south end of the lake, accessed from Lipply Road, off of SR7. From the small parking area on the southeast corner of the lake, look diagonally northwest to the left, back in the protected cove. This is the highest number of Common Mergansers we have ever recorded anywhere. Young males are in a transitional plumage from their female looking juvenile coat, to starting to look like adult males. Of note; Common Mergansers nest just south of here in neighboring Columbiana County, on the tributaries of Little Beaver Creek, a Wild and Scenic River system. Fourteen species of waterfowl could be found during our time there, with Hooded Mergansers and Ruddy Ducks being the most numerous. Common Loons, Bald Eagles, and Cormorants were here and there. An adult Rough-legged Hawk was overhead. This was a sampling of the nice variety of birds present.

Bob and Denise Lane / Mahoning County                                     
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